WD 45--no spark

My son's tractor has been sitting in his pole barn for about a yr. He drove it in there--working fine, except for a starter motor problem. I replaced the Bendix and the starter works fine now, but have no spark at the plugs. Is a 12 volt with a delco-remy distributor. The coil checks out with continuity test. There is spark at the points. I put in a new condenser and rotor. Had no cap to replace. But short of replacing that and the points, I'm at a loss to know why I get no spark to jump at the plugs. The wires are new, and checked several of them--so I don't think it is the wires.

I'm about 80 miles away--so no access to tractor. I want to coach my son further on this. I gave him a new set of points (the installed set looks fine and I cleaned them with emory cloth)

What is the likely problem?--since it was running before it was stored. I just had a inboard boat that ran fine when I stored it two years ago--working fine and when I tried starting it--no spark--turns out the coil went bad just sitting there. The coil on the tractor checks out, however with the Ohm meter.

Any suggestions and a next step. Told him to buy a cap and change that out--but short of that I've exhausted my possibilities. I've just assumed this tractor was a negative ground--any reason to think otherwise?

you may also have a problem of the points not grounding properly, have seen this before. you can use a screwdriver to open and close the points and then you should see spark jump off the primary coil to ground, it should jump 1/4 inch usually. also onlyuse solid core copper or steel wires to plugs. I have filed and sand blasted many sets of points with no adverse effects....if running 12v use a resistor on the way to the points so you do not cook them as soon..good luck. GW

WHY would you start throwing parts at it at random, rotor and condenser???

Is there spark at the coil's high tension terminal?

Checking for spark there takes the cap and rotor out of the picture.

MOST LIKELY your smooth move of "cleaning" the points with emery cloth has left non-conductive residue behind that's preventing the points from doing their job.

Connect a test light between chassis ground and the primary terminal in the distributor and crank the engine with the ignition "ON".

What does the test light do?

Flashes as the points open and close = normal.

Always "ON" = points never making contact.

Always "OFF" = no power to coil /points or a short in the points/condenser area.

If (as I suspect) the points are not making contact when closed, clean them with electrical contact cleaner and be prepared to replace them as points that have been filed/emeryed/sanded seldom keep working for very long.

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